Police opened fire in the air to control an agitating crowd protesting against pollution from a stone crushing unit at Saleli village, 40 km away from Panaji, after it attacked a police party injuring a superintendent of police and lynched the owner of the crushing unit.

Earlier on Wednesday, the owner of the stone crushing unit, Prithviraj Rane, son of a local politician, was killed by the violent mob, when he went to start his crushing unit.

Villagers started throwing stones on the police party, when it began rounding up suspects, the police said adding, they were forced to open fire to control the mob.

Superintendent of Police D K Sawant, a deputy superintendent of police and 30 police constables and several villagers were injured in the incident.

Speaking to PTI, Director General of Police Mishra said police fired in the air to disperse the mob. "I am yet to get the final report," he said before rushing to the hospital where injured police personnel were admitted.

Mishra said that few arrests were made in connection with the murder and additional forces have been deployed.